Background
He was the eldest son of John V, Count of Oldenburg and his wife, Anna of Anhalt-Bernburg.
He was the eldest son of John V, Count of Oldenburg and his wife, Anna of Anhalt-Bernburg.
John VI, George, Anna, and their mother remained Catholics, while Christopher and Anthony I chose the Lutheran faith.
However, his time in office was marked by conflicts between John VI and his co-rulers. Their relationship was tense from the start of their joint rule. Furthermore, Christopher and Anthony I tried to improve relationships with neighbouring East Frisia with a double wedding.
John VI and George opposed this wedding for dynastic reasons, since the Cirksena family ruling East Frisia had only been raised to imperial counts in 1464.
The conflict was resolved when Christopher and Anthony I forced John VI and George to abdicate in 1529. After his abdication, John VI tried to regain power.
He was supported by Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. In 1533, John V was appointed co-ruler with limited responsibilities for a 10-year period.
In 1542, the case was settled out of court, with John accepting financial compensation while renouncing his claims to co-rulership.
Contemporary sources do not provide inforamation as to what happened to George. John VI died in 1548 in Bremen. His widow was not a noblewoman, so children from this marriage (if any) would be unable to inherit the county.